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Express Lift
The Express Lift Company was the oldest UK-based elevator division that belongs to General Electric Company (GEC) and based in Northampton, England. It was acquired by Otis in 1997. History The Express Lift Company was established in 1917 by the merger of Easton and GEC elevators. In 1928 Smith, Major & Stevens joined Express, and in 1960 Easton left the partnership and made their own lifts. In the late 1970s, a lift testing tower called Express Lift Tower (now National Lift Tower) was built in Northampton, England to facilitate lift/elevator testing and research of Express Lift. It was completed in 1982. In 1995, Express Lift merged with another UK elevator company Evans Lifts, then both companies was known as ExpressEvans. Two years later, ExpressEvans was taken over by Otis. In addition, General Electric Company (elevator division) in Hong Kong was taken over by Otis in 1999. After ExpressEvans was taken over, Otis Elevator Company has re-operate the ExpressEvans in both UK (ExpressEvans)Otis is now using ExpressEvans name again! and Hong Kong (Express)Express Traction Elevator at Front Wing, Montane Mansion, Quarry Bay, Hong KongNowadays, Express (Hong Kong) which is a distributor of Diebold Aufzüge (elevators) and Hyundai (escalators). which are nowadays both elevator company are subsidiaries by Otis. The name ExpressEvans is also used in the new Gen2-based Express M.R.L. elevator in the UK. National Lift Tower The National Lift Tower (previously called The Express Lift Tower and known locally as the 'Northampton Lighthouse') is a lift testing tower built by the Express Lift Company located in Weedon Road in Northampton, England. The structure was commissioned in 1978 with construction commencing in 1980, and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on November 12, 1982. Elevator fixtures Main article: Express Lifts Fixtures Guide Notable installations United Kingdom *Hallfield Estate (Marlow and Exeter House), London, United KingdomSome of them have been modernized by Jackson Lifts. *National Lift Tower, Northampton, United Kingdom (1982) *Hilton Metropole, London, United Kingdom *Bentalls - Princess Square, Bracknell, United Kingdom * Beales, Hexham, United Kingdom * JJB Sports, Croydon, London, United Kingdom * Fenwick, intu Eldon Square, Newcastle, United Kingdom * M&S, Sidney Street, Cambridge, United Kingdom (modernized from Otis elevator, now fully replaced with Stannah) * Fenwick, York, United Kingdom (now modernized by Thyssen) Other countries Hong Kong *Tsuen Wan Hoover Plaza, Tsuen Wan (1995) *Lek Yuen Plaza, Sha Tin (1976)Part of Lek Yuen Estate (refer to Lift Modernisation Programme), modernized partially by Otis using Dewhurst fixtures. *Prince Phillip Dental Hospital (1980s) *Tung Hei Court, Sai Wan Ho (1995)Elevator controller in lift tower has been replaced by Otis. *Hoi Fu Court, Kowloon West, Hong Kong *Tai Wo Hau Estate, Kwai Chung (1993) *Hau Tak Estate, Tseung Kwan O *Kwai Shing East Estate, Kwai Chung (1999) *Yue On Court, Ap Lei Chau (1988)One of the lift towers have been partially modernized by Otis. *Happy Valley Racecourse, Happy Valley (1986) *The Hong Kong Jockey Club Archive and Museum (1995) *Concordia Building Tower A (1995) *Nam Fung Plaza, Hang Hau (1999) *Wong House, Yau Mau Tei (1960)Modernized by Otis in 1999. *C.C. Wu Building, Wan Chai (1983)Modernized by Otis from 2010-2013 with new Xizi Otis OH 5000 controllers and new motors, but branded as Otis. *69 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan (1998) *Wan Fung Centre, Central *Prosperity Court (Community Centre), Sham Shui Po (1994) Singapore *Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks: **Blk. 1, 81, 81A Toa Payoh HDB (1995) **Blk. 418 Woodlands HDB (1994) **Blk. 856F Tampines HDB **Blk. 257 Boon Lay HDB **Blk. 764 Jurong West HDB **Fajar Shopping Arcade HDB **Blk. 134 Jurong East HDB (1994) *Ayer Rajah Community Club *Jurong West HDB Branch Office *Tong Eng Building *The Arcade, Raffles Place (1981)Has an escalator installed by General Electric Company (GEC). Elevators in the tower have been modernized into Otis Compass destination dispatch. *Singapore Indoor StadiumBranded as GEC. Australia *La Lingua Language School, 93 York St, Sydney *The Chelsea, 110 Sussex St, Sydney *90 Mount Street, North Sydney *Compass Centre, 83-89 North Terrace, Bankstown, Sydney *University of Adelaide, Adelaide Other countries *Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaModernized by Otis using Japanese fixtures *SV City, Bangkok, Thailand (now modernized by Otis, but still has the Express logo the floor plate)SV City, Bangkok: Express/Otis Traction Elevators *Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel, Chon Buri, Thailand (Tower Wing)Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel, Chon Buri: Express Traction Scenic Elevators (Tower Wing, 24-42) *15 Cobham Court, Porirua CBD, New Zealand Trivia *Other than in United Kingdom, Express Lift elevators are also found in some countries around the world, normally countries of former British colony such as Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. *In New Zealand, most Express Lift elevators are maintained by Schindler and have Schindler name plate (many have not been modernized by them, but they still have Schindler name plate). *Some Express Lift elevators are often labelled as GEC (General Electric Company) or GEC ExpressExpress lift with GEC logo and all of those brand are not appeared in the United Kingdom. *There is a very rare GEC escalator found in The Arcade, Singapore.Video about a very rare GEC escalator in Singapore *Express Lift once produce the DMR control system (Direct Measured Regulation) elevator, which is similar to Westinghouse's "Select-o-Matic" elevator system, when both companies were under partnership since 1929. *Express Lift had a product licensing with the Australian-based Elevators Pty. Ltd. (or known as EPL KONE), therefore some older EPL KONE elevator machinery equipments are often have the Express Lifts brand badge.Express Lifts nameplate on EPL KONE machinery In addition, Express Lift elevators in Australia were distributed by Elevators Pty. Ltd. *Express Lift also supplies elevators for the Housing and Development Board (HDB) public housing flats in Singapore in the mid-1990s as part of the Lift Upgrading Programme (LUP) scheme. Gallery Logos and nameplates Express Lift badge old 1.jpg|1960s-1980s Express Lift badge (1). Express Lift badge old 2.jpg|1960s-1980s Express Lift badge (2). Old Express Lifts instruction sign.jpg|1960s Express Lift instruction sign Express Lift SMS badge.jpg|Old Express Lift brand badge with SMS Lifts name in New Zealand. (credit to WaygoodOtis) Express_SMS_Lifts_name_plate.JPG‎|Old Express Lift brand badge with SMS Lifts name in New Zealand. (credit to WaygoodOtis) Screenshot_2014-12-12-09-49-54.png|General Electric Company (GEC) nameplate on a 1981 GEC escalator in The Arcade, Singapore (Credit to Instagram user Alexander Yap) Express Lifts Logo.jpg|The new logo used in the United Kingdom. Others Express Lift HDB.jpg|Express Lift installed under the Lift Upgrading Programme scheme in Blk. 81A Toa Payoh HDB, Singapore (installed in 1995). Notes and references See also Express Lifts Fixtures Guide External Links *Official website of National Lift Tower *Express Lift in Beno Lift Guide *Express Lift history booklet from 1982 *History diagram in General Electric Company *Wikipedia article about National Lift Tower *Express Lifts (Nowadays small elevator company in Hong Kong) *Express Lifts Alliance in UK Category:Subsidiary companies Category:European companies Category:Companies that have been acquired Category:Defunct companies